Bryant College Board Nominations Questioned

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Members of the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus are criticizing Republican Gov. Phil Bryant for what they see as lack of diversity in his College Board nominations.

The caucus chairman, Democratic Sen. Kenny Wayne Jones of Canton, said Thursday that black senators are prepared to vote against three pending nominations.

Jones says it’s shameful that the 12-member College Board will soon not have a graduate of any of Mississippi’s three public historically black universities – Jackson State, Alcorn State and Mississippi Valley State.

Bryant has nominated three white people and one black person to the board. That’s the same racial makeup of four departing members. One nominee is a graduate of historically black Tougaloo College, which is private.

Bryant spokeswoman Nicole Webb says Bryant has a strong record on diverse appointments.